Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Prato Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome and Prato

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,027 per month in Rome vs $1,884 in Prato, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,143 per month in Rome vs $2,834 in Prato, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,260 per month in Rome vs $3,785 in Prato, rent included.

Rome costs about 8% more than Prato, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rome and Prato sit above the global median – Rome by 51%, Prato by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.82

$22.98 €19.77

-25.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 €63.6

$79.5 €68.4

-7.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.10

$11.71 €10.08

0.26%

Cappuccino

$1.83 €1.58

$1.92 €1.65

-4.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.16

$3.30 €2.84

-23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.34 €1.15

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.04

$7.11 €6.12

-17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 €4.50

$5.63 €4.84

-7.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.52 €1.31

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.20 €1.89

-2.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.90 €2.49

1.72%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.88

$4.25 €3.65

6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 €14.99

$20.15 €17.33

-13.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 €10.32

$11.03 €9.49

8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.19 €17.37

$20.41 €17.56

-1.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.83 €2.44

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.75 €2.37

-18.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.59 €3.08

-45.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.43 €2.95

-24.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.51 €2.16

-29.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.71 €1.47

8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.56 €1.34

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.56 €0.48

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.13

$6.86 €5.90

3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 €3.98

$8.17 €7.03

-43.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.70 €1.46

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.50 €2.15

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.35 €2.02

-23.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.00 €35.27

$40.07 €34.47

2.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$5.94 €5.11

-13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.68 €1.45

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.08 €30.18

$33.74 €29.03

3.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.11 €1.81

-7.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.3K €25.2K

$30.5K €26.2K

-3.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.2K €26.0K

$31.9K €27.5K

-5.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 €189

$268 €231

-18.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.01 €9.47

$12.85 €11.06

-14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.31 €26.93

$30.83 €26.52

1.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 €55.1

$43.80 €37.68

46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.81 €20.48

$23.24 €19.99

2.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.73 €10.09

$11.41 €9.82

2.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$528 €454

$716 €616

-26.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,966

$17.5K €15.0K

-40.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 €63.0

$98.2 €84.5

-25.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 €29.74

$37.65 €32.39

-8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 €74.8

$102 €87.5

-14.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$149 €128

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 €1,139

$784 €674

68.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 €761

$648 €558

36.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 €2,289

$1,112 €957

139.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 €1,407

$934 €803

75.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,730 €7,510

$3,343 €2,875

161.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,452 €2,970

$2,247 €1,933

53.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,058 €1,770

$2,208 €1,900

-6.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

3.96

-0.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rome: May 31, 2026

Last update for Prato: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,325 in Rome versus $784 in Prato. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Prato, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Rome versus $79.0 in Prato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $359 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rome vs Prato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rome is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,041 per month in Rome and $2,826 in Prato. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prato, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,027 in Rome and $1,884 in Prato. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Prato. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Prato, where all-in costs run around $1,884, than in Rome at $2,027. In Prato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rome it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Prato – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Prato. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.